The Newly-Operating and Validated Instruments Comparison Experiment (NOVICE) was a series of flights designed to test airborne instruments. These instruments either required initial flight performance assessments after construction or modification or provided validation measurements of chemical species for comparison. NOVICE was based at Ellington Field in Houston, Texas, and took place in September 2008. The WB-57 aircraft carried several instruments, including the Airborne Compact Atmospheric Mapper (ACAM), Uncrewed Aerial System Laser Hygrometer (ULH), and Diode Laser Hygrometer (DLH). NOVICE was funded by the NASA Airborne Science Program.
Generic-Chemistry Related Sensors (Gen-Chemistry) refers to non-specific instruments on a platform used for atmospheric chemistry measurements. These are typically in situ analyzers that measure chemical compounds such as trace gases, halocarbons, volatile organic compounds, nitrates, aerosols, and other chemical species. Measurements can include mixing ratios, composition, particle size, optical properties, and particle size distribution.
Argus is a two-channel, tunable diode laser instrument developed at NASA Ames Research Center. It collects in situ measurements of atmospheric carbon monoxide (CO), nitrous oxide (N2O), and methane (CH4) using second harmonic spectroscopy. Argus operates in the mid-infrared range (3.3 and 4.7 micrometers) and has an accuracy of about 3% at data rates of 0.1 to 0.5 Hz. Its lightweight, compact design makes it ideal for small-payload platforms such as balloons and uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs).
The Airborne Compact Atmospheric Mapper (ACAM) is a remote-sensing airborne spectrometer developed at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). It uses two thermally stabilized spectrometers to measure nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, ozone, formaldehyde, and aerosols across the ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared spectra (310-900 nm). ACAM typically operates at a spatial resolution of 30 meters and a temporal resolution of 2 Hz. ACAM data can be used for calibration and validation of observations from the Aura satellite.
The Meteorological Measurement System (MMS) is an in situ airborne instrument that measures atmospheric state parameters. MMS provides high-resolution, accurate measurements of atmospheric pressure, temperature, and wind direction and speed immediately around the aircraft. Additional parameters that can be derived include potential temperature, true airspeed, turbulence dissipation rate, and Reynolds number. Measurements of all parameters are typically collected at a rate of 20 Hz.
Digital cameras provide imagery for research applications. Cameras are mounted on aircraft to collect aerial imagery for mapping and surveying, environmental monitoring, cloud observations, agriculture, geological studies, and other Earth science applications. They are also deployed at field sites to capture visual observations that monitor changes in land cover, vegetation, clouds, air quality, glaciers, and other phenomena.
The Diode Laser Hygrometer (DLH) is an in situ airborne hygrometer developed by NASA’s Langley Research Center (LaRC). It uses tunable diode laser absorption to detect atmospheric water vapor. DLH operates in the near-infrared at about 1.4 μm and has a measurement frequency of 100 Hz. It can deliver precise water vapor measurements even when flying through clouds.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Indicators > Water Vapor
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Indicators > Humidity > Relative Humidity
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Indicators > Humidity
The NOAA Dual-Beam UV-Absorption Ozone Photometer (NOAA-O3) is an in situ optical balloon-borne and airborne instrument that measures ozone concentrations in the troposphere and lower stratosphere. It operates at 254 nm, enabling calculation of ozone number density from the precise ozone absorption cross section at that wavelength. It has a sampling rate of 2 Hz and a horizontal resolution of 100 to 200 meters during typical research flights.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Air Quality > Tropospheric Ozone
Harvard Water Vapor (HWV) is an in situ airborne hygrometer developed at Harvard University that measures water vapor mixing ratios in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere. HWV includes two instruments that use different methods to detect water vapor: the Lyman-α photo-fragment fluorescence instrument (LyA) and a tunable diode laser direct absorption instrument (HHH - Harvard Herriott Hygrometer). By combining both instruments, HWV can identify and reduce systematic errors during flight. It provides measurements of water vapor mixing ratio from 1 to 1000 ppmv at 1 Hz, with an accuracy of 5%.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Indicators > Water Vapor
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Profiles > Water Vapor Mixing Ratio Profiles
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Indicators
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor
The NOAA Frost Point Hygrometer (FPH) is a balloon-borne sensor that collects profiles of atmospheric water vapor. It uses the chilled-mirror principle to determine the frost or dew point temperature up to 28 km in the atmosphere. FPH measures with a vertical resolution of 5-10 m and a temporal resolution of 1-2 seconds.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Profiles
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Indicators > Dew Point Temperature
The Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS) Laser Hygrometer (ULH) is an in situ airborne hygrometer developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). It was designed to measure water vapor in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere from a UAS. It uses a continuous 1370-nm laser beam and two mirrors to detect water vapor concentration around the aircraft. ULH can provide data rates up to 20 Hz, enabling a spatial resolution of 10 meters or less. It has a detection limit of less than 1 ppmv.
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor > Water Vapor Indicators > Water Vapor
Earth Science > Atmosphere > Atmospheric Water Vapor
